Shelter helps victims heal and recover

Suffering domestic violence? There's help from people who care, at a home away from an abusive home

- GENEVIEVE CHAN

The caller was distraught, helpless and fleeing in fear. She'd just escaped from her abuser, who was waiting outside her workplace. On the other end of the call, hope. Ms Nurul Syahirah, 28, a social worker, soothed and assured the victim, staying on the line as she guided her to the safety of Casa Raudha.

There, the victim found relief and assurance. There, at Casa Raudha, she found a home away from an abusive home.

Such moments underscore the critical need for the support and protection that Casa Raudha and social workers like Ms Syahirah provide.

But it is more than a place for survivors of violence. "I'd always thought that domestic violence was only physical like physically beating someone," says Ms Jean Goh. The 57-year-old, a managing director at a local industrial supplies company, confesses that she had limited knowledge when she first started volunteering in Casa Raudha two years ago.

Ms Syahirah observes that many may not know what constitutes domestic violence: "It refers to patterns of violence, threatening or abusive behaviours which includes manipulation and control." Domestic violence can take many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse, and neglect.

Casa Raudha, a shelter for women and children facing domestic violence, first opened its doors in 2008. In 2017, it expanded its services beyond shelter to include outreach and restoration.